Safety switch locking device



, Jim 31, W39. 5. L. EASTBURN ET AL 2,145,687 SAFETY SWITCH LOCKING DEVICE Filed April 7, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l M 55? H E Emmi n i E %\m\ M MN E 3 \N% \w INVENTORS Samuel L. Ea'SfbA/ffl. earge M. Copper BY A v L ATTORNEYS Em, 3n, ww. s. L, EASTBURN ET AL.

SAFETY SWITCH LOCKING DEVICE Filed April 7, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'iiiiijijjiumliimr mi u Z4 Lim I? r w I fig? In I H I I I a v z/ INVENTOR$ Samuel L. t'a'sfburn. BY George M Cooper:

AT I'ORNEYS Patented Jan. 31, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT FEFiQE.

SAFETY SWITCH LOCKING DEVICE.

tion of Delaware Application April '7, 1936, Serial No. 73,062

4 Claims.

The invention relates to railroad track equipment, and more particularly to safety locking devices for looking a switch point in main line position.

According to the invention, a safety locking device is provided in which the positive action of a rust-proof spring is used to insure engagement of the locking bar in the notch of the locking rod. In the preferred form the locking bar has a foot pedal with angularly related surfaces and the base of the locking device has an oblique extension for elevating the spring well above the surface of the railroad tie.

The invention also consists in certain new and original features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, and the manner in which it may be carried out, may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, in which' Fig. 1 is a plan view of a single switch with the invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the spring locking device.

5 In the following description and in the claims, various details will be identified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application as the art will permit.

Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, certain specific disclosure of the invention is made for purposes of explanation, but it will be understood that the details may be modified in various respects without departure from the broad aspect of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to the form shown in Fig. 1, the safety locking device denoted by 2D is applied to a single switch on the same side as the normally closed switch point. The switch used for illustration may be of any well known construction. It will be understood that the invention may be applied to other track points, as for example, derailin-g switches.

Referring more particularly to Fig. l, the switch shown for purposes of illustration comprises the usual stock rails iii and ii and switch points l2 and i3 resting on ordinary ties i land extra long ties E5. The switch point i3 is the normally closed point, rails ill and 53 constituting main line rails and rails H and 12 constituting branch line rails. The safety locking device 20, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, is used for the purpose of locking the switch in safe position for traffic on the main line.

The switch points l2 and iii are connected by the usual switch rod 56. There may be a plurality of such switch rods, but only one is shown for purposes of illustration. Connected to the switch rod is a connecting rod ll extending to the switch stand it supported by the ties I5. This switch stand it has a handle 59 for manually operating the switch. This particular type of switch stand is shown merely for purposes of illustration, it being understood that other types of switch stand may also be used. The switch stand may have its own locking device for looking the switch points.

The safety locking device 28 is directly connected by rod H to. the normally closed point [3 by an adjustable connection denoted, in general, by M3, the rod 2! passing under rails i l and It. Any well-known adjustable connection may be used, but it is preferred to use the shim type disclosed and claimed in divisional application Serial No. 104,980, filed October 10, 1936. locking device 20 comprises a base 22 (Figs. 3 and 4) bolted to the tie i5 and having ears 23 for pivoting the locking lever 2 Bolt 25 passes through lever 24 and ears 23.

For operating the safety device, a foot pedal 26 is formed upon locking lever 2 3, having angularly related surfaces Z'l and 28 adapted to be conveniently engaged by the switchmans foot for operating the locking device. The base 22 has an oblique projection provided with a boss 30 around which is located a rust-proof coil spring 29 normally urging the foot pedal 26 upwardly. The boss 30 is of cruciform section and projects from the bottom of a circular recess I30. The lug fill may snugly fit the spring 29 to help hold it in position. The spring action urges tongue 32 downwardly. If desired, the locking lever 23 may be so balanced that gravity assists the spring 29 in urging the tongue 32 downwardly.

The a The base 22 has a depending sleeve 3| providing a guideway for the connecting rod 2|. The sleeve has a recess for the tongue 32 of the latch lever 24 permitting the tongue to engage in a notch 33 in connecting rod 2| (Fig. 2). The notch 33 has a beveled edge 34 for easing the locking lever 24 into position. This beveled edge prevents over-travel of the locking lever when the switch points are moved from branch line position to main line position, as will be explained hereinafter.

For locking the safety locking device in closed position, a locking ear 35 is provided through which the hasp of a padlock 36 is adapted to pass, this preventing the unauthorized operation of the latch lever 24. The extra apertured ear 55 is provided for a chain 31 permanently attaching the padlock to the locking device to prevent loss of the same when the padlock is disengaged.

Thus, there has been described and illustrated a safety locking device which is simple in construction and operation and which is also safe and reliable. The locking device utilizes a rustproof spring, and is more reliable than looking devices relying on gravity alone. It is also lighter and more compact. The bevel 35 serves to ease the latch tongue 32 into the notch when the switch is moved from branch line position to main line position. It prevents over-travel of the connecting rod 25 and, if the safety locking device locks before the switch point is fully closed, it indicates to the switchman that adjustment is necessary at the adjustable connection 42. This adjustment is also necessary when the switch parts become worn in use. The angularly related surfaces of the foot pedal facilitate engagement of the switchma-ns foot when operating the switch. The oblique extension on the base serves to elevate the spring above the surface of the railroad tie, thereby making it more difficult for dirt or other foreign matter to interfere with its operation.

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A safety locking device comprising a base adapted to be bolted to a railway tie and a holder member slidably holding a locking rod having a recess, a locking bar pivoted to said base-and having a member engageable in said recess, said base having an oblique extension, said locking bar having an oblique pedal opposite said oblique extension, and a helical spring operating between said oppositelydisposed oblique pedal and oblique extension.

2. A safety locking device comprising a base adapted to be bolted to a railway tie and a depending sleeve member slidably holding a looking rod having a notch, said base having an upstanding lug, a locking bar pivoted to said lu and having a depending tongue engageable in said notch, said sleeve having a slot receiving said tongue, said base having an oblique portion, said locking bar having a pedal generally parallel to said oblique portion, said pedal having a horizontal extension, said oblique portion having a recess from the bottom of which projects a lug, and a helical spring in said recess surrounding said lug and operating between said parallel pedal and oblique portions.

3. A safety locking device comprising a base adapted to be bolted to a railway tie and a depending sleeve member slidably holding a locking rod, said base having upstanding lugs, a locking bar pivoted to said lugs and having a depending tongue engageable in a notch in said locking rod, said sleeve having a slot receiving said tongue, said base having an oblique portion, said locking bar having a pedal generally parallel to said oblique portion, said pedal having a horizontal extension, said oblique portion having a recess from the bottom of which projects a lug of cruciform section, a helical spring in said recess snugly engaging said lug and operating between said parallel pedal and oblique portions, the edge of said slot having an apertured ear through which a member may be passed to overlie said locking bar.

4. A safety locking device for locking switch points comprising a base adapted to be securedto a railroad tie or the like, said base having an upstanding fulcrum member, a locking bar comprising an intermediate lever portion with a pedal at one end and a latch member at the other end, means pivoting said intermediate lever portion to: said fulcrum member, a locking rod having a recess and extending to said switch point, means slidably receiving said locking rod and located adjacent said base, said latch member engaging in said recess, said base having a supporting portion elevated well above the railroad tie but under the pedal side of said locking bar, and a helical spring disposed between the pedal side of said locking bar and said supporting portion for yieldably holding said latch member in said recess.

SAMUEL L. EASTBURN. GEORGE M. COOPER. 

